lIAHlTrf OF A CLTTLE-i'liSII. U 



when in deep water, their general sliatle was brown- 

 ish purple, but when placed on the land, or in shal- 

 low water, this dark tint changed into one of a 

 yellowish green. The colour, examined more care- 

 fully, was a French grey, with numerous minute 

 spots of bright yellow : the former of these varied 

 in intensity; the latter entirely disappeared and 

 appeared again by turns. These changes were ef- 

 fected in such a manner, that clouds, varying in 

 tint between a hyacinth red and a chestnut brown,* 

 were continually passing over the body. Any j^art, 

 being subjected to a slight shock of galvanism, be- 

 came almost black : a similar effect, but in a less 

 degree, was jaroduced by scratching the skin with 

 a needle. These clouds, or blushes as they may 

 be called, are said to be produced by the alternate 

 expansion and contraction of minute vesicles con- 

 taining variously coloured fluids.t 



This cuttle-fish displayed its chameleon-like pow- 

 er both during the act of swimming and whilst re- 

 maining stationary at the bottom. I was much 

 amused by the various arts to escape detection used 

 by one individual, which seemed fully aware that 

 I was watching it. Remaining i'or a time motion- 

 less, it would then stealthily advance an inch or 

 two, like a cat after a mouse ; sometimes changing 

 its colour : it thus proceeded, till having gained a 

 deeper part, it darted away, leaving a dusky train 

 of ink to hide the hole into which it had crawled. 



While looking for marine animals, with my head 

 about two feet above the rocky shore, I was more 

 than once saluted by a jet of water, accompanied 

 by a slight gi-ating noise. At first I could not think 

 what it was, but afterwards I found out that it was 

 this cuttle-fish, which, though concealed in a hole, 



* So named according to Patrick Symes's nomenclature, 

 t See Encyclop. of Anat. and Physiol, article Cephalopoda. 



